I think it was a good name change. To me i feel that the 68xx series was just a refresh of cypress that made it affordable for all. Now the 69xx series will up the ante and will give the enthusiasts pure power cards.

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So they couldn't have done that by naming the cards 6750 and 6770? Then the 68xx series would have upped the ante just like the 58xx series did.

It is a little confusing at first. But I don't care, they can name the cards whatever they want as long as they perform and are priced right. Anyone that is "tricked" by this should have done their research before buying.

It is a little confusing at first. But I don't care, they can name the cards whatever they want as long as they perform and are priced right. Anyone that is "tricked" by this should have done their research before buying.

It's NOT 4-D. Go check out any review. If they don't make that point plain, best bitch at them for not being clear...it's still most definately 5D.

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Yeah it's definately 5D, but it's our own fault to be confused about that tbh. I don't think AMD ever said that. afaik the idea that Barts would be 4D was originated on Semiaccurate. I never take them seriously, much less believe anything coming from SA, but being about AMD and not Nvidia, I simply believed it after I also heard the story on some other sites, although they were linking to SA. That is a mistake I will never make again. Neveraccurate is not a source period and I've said that so many times, that I cannot help but feel really embarrased for the lack of proper judgement

The only thing I don't like about their revised naming scheme is that it should have been done generations ago. Honestly, the only reason anyone's upset about it is because you are used to having #8## as the top GPU in ATI's stable. It's been tradition. And people don't like it when something that's been established for a few years gets changed.
It's not because the old naming scheme made more sense. It didn't. Why label your top performing GPU with an 8 rather than 9? Doesn't make sense. Now, from this generation onwards, it will make perfect sense. In a few generations, if AMD stick to this naming scheme, everyone will wonder what the fuss was about.

I also think people are giving 'average Joe' either too much or not enough credit. Any consumer that is aware that #870 is (in the past) ATI's top dog will also not be dumb enough to buy a next-gen #870 without reading reviews first. Any consumer that isn't aware of the ATI's numbering sequence will similarly think that, for example, a 5450 is better than a 4890 because it has a higher number.

There are going to be people who walk into a store and see 6870 and think that this is the replacement for, and therefore better than, the 5870. Hopefully, the low price will stop them in their tracks. x8xx has been the top end forever and only the x1900's and HD2900's didn't follow that. Although AMD has explained the change, I don't see a reason for it. I'm wondering if it has something to do with their up coming APU's.

It is a little confusing at first. But I don't care, they can name the cards whatever they want as long as they perform and are priced right. Anyone that is "tricked" by this should have done their research before buying.

I agree.Techie or not, if a buyer cannot do pedestrian research (especially with the internet at everyone's fingertips) before purchasing a product, too bad for them. That is their failure.

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I see that as a grey rather than a black and white issue, but I'm certainly not willing to accept all the onus being placed on the consumer. I don't think laziness or stupidity on the client's part entirely excuses a deliberate attempt to deceive.

Nevertheless, when I read that, it sounds as if I am really upset about this: that is not the case. I'm a little disappointed with ATI/AMD, and I have seen posts on this forum where people are asking why the 6870 shouldn't be slated as a failure because it can't always keep up the 5870. Clearly room for confusion exists and there is certainly intent to deceive.

But in the end, even if many of us do dislike it, it's not really something to get overly worked up about, merely par for the course.

Yeah, it's very confusing...I've tried expalining it now to a couple of people, and even though I know what's going on, even those not into hardware like us jsut shake thier head.

The one thing is, pricing really says alot. 5870 is $400 here. 6870 is $250. obviously you aren't gonna get more for almost 50% less cost, so quite a few people will clue in, but it's deceptive enough that many aren't gonna get it.

I wanted to answer the poll two ways because of that..confusing, but pricing and such justifies it. But the justification doesn't make it any less confusing.

No, I do not agree with the rebranding, these cards could just as easily have been called 6750/6770.

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this.

they are just trying to fool people in to buying a "better" card with it having a bigger number, yes nvidia did it with the 98gtx which wasnt as good as the 88gtx at the higher res, but at least they was better at low res, what res does a 6850 beat the 5850?

Seing from benchies, 6870 feels a bit more like 5830.. So will there be a 5870-like equivalent to Bart? I do agree with most that they shouldve just made it 6830/6850, then leave 6870 for later on..

EDIT: Oh yeah, cayman should cover that.. well in anyase, no biggie. Just needs a bit of consumer-side adjustment.. 68xx - midrange, 69xx - high end enthusiast. A bit worried for the majority though, but still, they should do their homework before buying in anycase (in which I doubt anyone looking for a gaming GPU wont be doing).

The 68xx cards are priced $50-80 more than the 57xx cards were at launch so it makes sense. Had they used the 67xx bracket for Barts, the actual replacement for the 57xx cards would have to be bumped down to 56xx along with everything else being bumped down. Now they have a naming scheme where all enthusiast cards will be 69xx, upper mainstream is 68xx, mainstream will presumably be 67xx and budget cards will fill out the 66xx lower brackets. Initially confusing perhaps but it's a better scheme in the end.

The new naming scheme is easy. As far as non-techie, "deceived" consumers go, most of them tend to buy from a retail store based on price, not specific model. If they want the best, they'll ask for it and Geek Squad will rape them on a 69XX series AMD card, or high end nVidia.

No, I do not agree with the rebranding, these cards could just as easily have been called 6750/6770.

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A non-informed buyer will think his 6850 is superior to my 5850 in raw performance... poor thing

IMO, it was more suitable the differentiation between 5800 and 5900, because a complete scale was given to the dual GPU solution which was logical, but now the single and double GPU cards are going to share the same scale.

I ask myself, what would happen if AMD wants to make the new 4890 of the 6900 series... simply, they can't... well someone could say the 6980 but sounds desperate.

They should go with a naming scheme in which the higher the number, the newer the card, for instance, "The Radeon: Model 3".
Or just come up with completely messed up names like the "Donkey ball kicker five thousand", or the "Rush Long A With Tactical shields and dolphin spinach dip", either way we are getting cards that are priced in their respective performance categories.

A non-informed buyer will think his 6850 is superior to my 5850 in raw performance... poor thing

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A non-informed buyer will think a 6450 will be superior to your 5850! It's got a higher number so must be faster, right? A non-informed buyer will only see a higher number and wont have a clue what they mean. As soon as they do even two minutes research to find out what the numbers mean, they will find reviews and it will be laid out plain as day what the story is.

And that is ignoring that the 5850 and 6850 are in completely different price-points! They'll more likely compare the 5850 on the shelf to the 6870, which are about the same price. And then they would be getting a superior product.